The Putnam Jumping Spider finds you just as interesting as you find it.

This spider is a member of the family Saliticidae. These are jumping spiders that can leap four to five times their own body length from a stationary position. They are hairy and have four black tufts of hair above their eyes and a few more of the sides of their head. These tufts and very furry chelicerae give the Putnam Jumping Spider a seemingly expressive face. Given that they have excellent vision, it might not sound so silly.

Putnam Jumping Spiders are curious and, thanks to keen eyesight, they tend to investigate the people watching them. This allows for some great opportunities to photograph them up close. They approach by pouncing toward an observer, so be prepared to be startled by their quick movements.

This species is an ambush predator. It spins a silken retreat for itself, usually inside curled up leaves, but it does not spin a web for trapping prey. Instead, it is an active hunter, roaming an area until it finds a worthy meal. It jumps toward the insect, shooting a single line of silk at it to prevent the bug from escaping. Once on top of the prey, the spider bites it, paralyzing it and then drags it back to the retreat where the spider consumes its meal.

Putnam Jumping Spiders are outdoorsy and can be found in a variety of habitats: forests, open fields, parks, gardens and parking lots. Sometimes they wander inside homes or buildings, but they can be coaxed back outside with a little effort.

Legs: Spiders have four pairs of legs and these are attached to the cephalothorax.

2

Pedipalps: Small appendages near the mouth used as taste and smell organs.

3

Cephalothorax: Contains eyes, head, mouthparts, and legs.

4

Abdomen: Contains various organs related to digestion, reproduction, and web-making.

5

Spinnerets: Used in the production of spider silk for fashioning webs or catching prey.

NOTE: Unlike insects, spiders have both an endoskeleton (internal) and exoskeleton (external).

Territorial Reach (A-to-Z)

Note: An insect's reach is not limited by lines drawn on a map and therefore species may appear in areas, regions and/or states beyond those listed below as they are driven by environmental factors (such as climate change), available food supplies and mating patterns. Grayed-out selections below indicate that the subject in question has not been reported in that particular territory. U.S. states and Canadian provinces / territories are clickable to their respective bug listings.

The map below showcases (in red) the states and territories of North America where the Putnam Jumping Spider may be found (but is not limited to). This sort of data can be useful in seeing concentrations of a particular species over the continent as well as revealing possible migratory patterns over a species' given lifespan. Some species are naturally confined by environment, weather, mating habits, food resources and the like while others see widespread expansion across most, or all, of North America.